Sailing vessel stabilizing device



A. H. SIMPSON 2,756,711

SAILING VESSEL STABILIZING DEVICE July 31, 1956 Filed Oct. 29, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet l ALDEN H. JIMPSOA INVENTOR WI mm +19 ATTORNEYS July 31, 1956 A. H. SIMPSON SAILING VESSEL STABILIZING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 29, 1954 m M W5 m m 5 H N E D A mdW W J6 ATTORNEYS July 31, 1956 suv pso 2,756,711

SAILING VESSEL STABILIZING DEVICE Filed Oct. 29, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 NVENTOR I76. 9 36 Q AZDE/V H. S/MPSON United a es Patent 2,756,711 SAILING VESSEL STABILIZING DEVICE Alden H. Simpson, Springfield, Mass.

Application October 29, 1954, Serial No. 465,479

2 Claims. c1. 114*39 proa and to provide means on the boat for lifting the stabilizing device out of the water to reduce resistance to movement of the device through the water. 1

A further object of the present invention is to provide an outrigger stabilizing device for a sailing canoe or proa and one which has special means to resist the capsizi'ng moments of force due to wind pressure on the sails.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an outrigger float or buoyant device which has a center board for resisting the lateral or twisting movement of the float or the boat due to quartering winds.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description when considered with the annexed drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the present invention showing a first embodiment of the outrigger as attached to a proa or sailing canoe;

Figure 2 is a fore or aft view of a reversible or doubleended proa showing the attachment of the outrigger float of the first embodiment of the present invention,

Figure 3 is a detailed view partly in cross section taken on line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a detailed view partly in cross section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a detailed view on line 5--5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a partial side view in cross section on line 66 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is an end view partly in cross section on line 77 of Figure 1;

Figure 8 is a top plan view of an outrigger float in a second embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 9 is a side view in elevation of the outrigger float of the second embodiment of the present invention; and

Figure 10 is an end view partially in cross section on line 10-10 of Figure 9.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the invention consists of two embodiments of an outrigger float for use with a sailing canoe or proa. The first embodiment is shown in Figures 1 through 7 and is seen to consist of a double-ended hull 10 constituting a buoyant body, and connected dependingly from the outrigger beams 11 which are superimposed in spaced relation upon the top of a boat body 12 with their adjacent end portions exteriorly of the complemental side of the boat body 12.

The outrigger beams 11 have their intermediate por- 2,756,711 I Patented July 31, 1956 tions 13 fixedly attached to the top of a boat body 12 and are provided at their adjacent end portions with rails 13. A platform 14 extends between the adjacent end portions of the beams 11 and is slidable upon the rails 13 betweenpositions inboard and outboard of the boat body 12.

The platform is provided with a frame 15 and rollers 16 for its limited movement with respect to the central portion of the boat body 12 and a bracket 17 having one leg underlying the lower edge of the beam 11 prevents the removal or accidental loss of the platform 14.

A mast structure in the form of a tripod is supported with one leg 19 secured by its lower end to the beam 11 directly over the center lineof the hull 10. A second leg 20 is secured with its leg fastened to a bow sprit section 21 at the end of the boat body 12. A third mast leg 22 has its lower end secured to the outrigger beam 11 adjacent to its end remote from the hull 10.

An upstanding sail 23 of triangular shape is supported by its apex 24 to the top of the mast structure. A spar boom 25 is secured to the sail along its lower horizontally positioned edge and is connected to the platform by cable and pulley means as by the cables 26 with suitable pulleys 27 to a fastening means on the edge of the platform 14.

There is a mast structure at each end of the boat and have their top ends connected by a tie bar 28. The boat body 12 is identical in shape at each. end and forms a double-ended or reversible proa type of racing canoe. The spar boom 25 of each mast and sail structure is secured by a pulley 29 directly beneath the apex of the sail and secured to the top of the boat body 12. This permits swinging of the spar boom 25 in a complete circle above the boat body 12 and also permits its lateral adjustment fore and aft of the theoretical mast position which would be in extension vertically from the boat body 12 through the point where the masts 19, 2t and 22 are joined.

The buoyant body of the first embodiment comprising the hull 10 is provided with a center board 30 at each end, as seen most clearly in Figures 6 and 7. The center board 30 is vertically extendable between a position within thewell 31 to a position indicated by the dotted lines at 30 in Figures 6 and 7.

At the extended position beneath the hull 10, the center board 30 acts to keep the hull 10 from moving laterally through the Water in response to the wind pressure upon the sail. A line 32 connects the center board 3!? to an operating position aboard the boat body 12.

In the second embodiment of the buoyant body, as shown in Figures 8 to 10, the buoyant body consists of a tubular member 33 secured by straps 34 to the longitudinal beams 35. A fin 36 depends from the lower side of the tubular body 33 and has positioned on it a hydrofoil 37.

The hydrofoil 37 positioned beneath the tubular body 33 permits the buoyant body of this embodiment to skim or plane upon the top surface of the water or close to the top to reduce the resistance to passage through the water of the buoyant body.

The hull 10 is double-ended and shaped at each of its ends to achieve the same result, when raised suflicient in the water so that its lower surface planes upon the top of the water. This is accomplished in both of the embodiments of the present invention by having the occupants of the boat seat themselves on the platform 14 or lie there and move the platform 14 from its limit of movement from its inboard to the limit of its movement outboard. This will cause the buoyant body of either of the embodiments to be raised in the water to lessen their resistance to movement through the water and thereby permit the boat body 12 to gain more speed.

The buoyant body 10 or 33 of either of the embodiments is intended to be kept on the lee side of the vessel so that the vessel may sail with the wind pressure tending to force the buoyant body into the water. For this reason the sailing vessel of the present invention consisting of the boat body 12 and its associated outboard buoyant body is made double-ended so that it can sail in any direction with respect to the wind.

Obviously, having the buoyant body on one side only of the boat body will not permit sailing with the winds on that side of the boat body, for the reason that the wind pressure would capsize the craft.

However, high speeds for this proa type or sailing vessel may be attained by careful adjustment of the position of the platform 14 which extend between the outrigger beams 11, and careful manipulation of the lines controlling the sail and the position of the platform 14 will permit the hull or the tubular body 33 to raise in the water to a planing position on the bottom of the hull 10 or on the hydrofoil 37.

The hydrofoil has a greater curvature on its lower surface than on its upper, as seen most clearly in Figure 9, to permit the planing action common to such structures.

A line or halyard 38 raises and lowers each of the sails as desired. It will be readily seen that the tripod form of the masts with the triangular sail adds to the stability of the boat body and the outrigger, and the sail is particularly adapted to this type of racing craft.

The separate sails may each be turned in a full circle, and with one at one angle and the other at a different angle relative tothe fore and aft axis, the sails permit steering of the craft with or Without use of the lee boards or center boards. The latter, while here illustrated as being secured to the buoyant body 10, may also be suspended from the beam, or may be included in the structure of the boat body 12.

Increased stability is thusly obtained for a sailing canoe or proa by the use of the present invention, the elements of which are thusly described.

While only preferred embodiments of the present invention have been here shown and described, other embodiments may be made and practiced and many changes 8 extending between and connected to the top ends of said mast structures, an upstanding sail of the triangular shape having its apex supported by the top end of each mast structure, an occupant-carrying platform extending between one of the adjacent end portions of said beams and connected to said end portions for limited inboard and outboard movement with respect to the central portion of said body, cable and pulley means connecting the lower horizontally disposed edge of each sail to said platform, and a buoyant body dependingly connected to the other adjacent end portion of said beams, said platform upon execution of its outboard movement causing the elevation of said buoyant body to a planing position on the water where it has decreased resistance to passage through the water.

2. In a sailing vessel including a boat body, a pair of outrigger beams superimposed in transverse spaced relation upon the top of said body and having the adjacent end portions exteriorly of the complemental side of said body, said beams having the intermediate portions fixedly attached to the top of said body, a mast structure in the form of a tripod at each end of said boat body, a tie bar extending between and connected to the top ends of said mast structures, an upstanding sail of triangular shape having its apex supported by the top end of each mast structure, an occupant-carrying platform extending between one of the adjacent end portions of said beams and connected to said end portions for limited inboard and outboard movement with respect to the central portion of said body, cable and pulley means connecting the lower horizontally disposed edge of each sail to said platform, and a buoyant body including a hydrofoil depending con nected to the other adjacent end portions of said beams, said platform upon execution of its outboard movement causing the elevation of saidbuoyant body to a planing position on the water where it has decreased resistance to passage through the water.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 11,327 Huston July 18, 1854 1,278,141 Graham Sept. 10, 1918 1,356,300 McIntyre Oct. 19, 1920 1,885,247 Fox NOV. 1, 1932 2,704,529 Hulett Mar. 22, 1955 OTHER REFERENCES The Sailing Boat by H. C. Folkard. Published 1870 by Longmans, Green, London (pages 317-321).

The Sailing Boat by H. C. Folkard. Published 1870 by Longmans, Green, London (pages 242, 243, 244 and the plate facing, page 242. Also pages 285, 286). 

